Method and apparatus for selective sorting



March 23, 1954 5 1115 ET AL 2,672,630

METHQD AND APPARATUS FOR SELECTIVE SORTING Filed Nov. 21, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS E. BITZER E. MANUWN 8| W. LOY

ATTO R N E.Y5

March 1954 R. E. BITZER ET AL METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SELECTIVE SORTING 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 21, 1946 INVENTORS ROBERT E. BITZER WILSON E. MANOWN a FRED W. LOY

a J ATTOR EYS March 1954 R. E. BITZER ET AL 2,672,630

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SELECT IVE SORTING Filed Nov. 21 1946 FIG. 3

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG.4

'INVENTORS ROBERT E. BITZER WILSON E. MANOWN 8 FRED W. LOY

5 J ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 23, 1954 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SELECTIVE SORTING Robert E. Bitzer, Wilson E. Manown, and Fred W. Loy, Dayton, Ohio Application November 21, 1946, Serial No. 711,346

8 Claims. (01. -162) This invention relates to methods and apparatus for selectively sorting workpieces. This invention also relates to methods and apparatus for combined sorting and assembling operations.

In many work cycles it is necessary that the work members be selectively'sorted either as to size, type, or as to the manner in which the work member is delivered, an example of the latter being a flare nutto be placed on tubing as illustrated in this application. Such work cycles ordinarily involve amanual sorting step which not only requires considerable labor but tends to slow down the work cycle appreciably.

After the sorting, the assembly of the sorted work members together, or with another work member, must also, usually, be carried out manually. 1

It is the object of the present invention to provide an automatic mechanism for sorting work members according to a predetermined characteristic thereof A still further object is the provision of an automatic mechanism for sorting work members according to a certain characteristic thereof and the delivering of thes'orted work members to predetermined workstations.

A still further object is the provision of a sorting mechanism according to this invention in combination with a distributing apparatus whereby selective assembly of workpieces is possible.

A still further object is the provision of an automatic apparatus for selective sorting and assembling of workpieces which always maintains an ample supp y of the sorted workpieces ahead of the assembling station so that continuous operation of the apparatus results.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a method for continuously sorting workpieces according to predetermined characteristics thereof.

Another object is the provision of a method for continuously sorting and distributing workpieces in accordance with dimensional characteristics thereof.

These and other objects and advantages will become more apparent upon reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a perspective view showing an apparatus according to this invention;

Figure 2 is a side view, partly in section, showing this invention;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view showing the sorting portion ofthe deviceand is taken approximately on the lines 3-3 of Figures 1 and 4;

Figure 4 is a plan view over a portion of the sorting mechanism and is indicated by the line 4-4 on Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 but showing the device delivering a work member to one of the sorting stations;

Figure 6 is a similar view showing a work member being delivered to another of the sorting stations;

Figure 7 is a sectional view indicated bythe line 1-1 on Figure 5 and showing a work member which is to be delivered to the first sorting station A;

Figure 3 is a section indicated by the line 88 on Figure 6 and shows a work member which is to be delivered to the second sorting station B;

Figure 9 is a section indicated by the line 9-9 on Figure 5 showing a work member which has just been received'into the sorting wheel from the supply hopper; I

Figure 10 is a plan view taken over the sorting stations and' with the sorting wheel in phantom outline;

Figure 11 is a section on the line IIII of Figure 6 and showing the mechanism for delivering a work member into sorting station 3;;

Figure 12 is a plan view indicated by the line l2-I2 on Figure 2 and shows the distributing wheel which receives the sorted work members from the sorting portion of the apparatus; I

Figure 13 is a plan view taken substantially on the line I3-l3 of Figure 2 and shows the drive mechanism for the distributing part of the apparatus; and

Figure 14 is a view of the distributing wheel after one work member has been delivered thereto and before the second work member with which it is to be assembled has been received.

General arrangement According to this invention workpieces, are sorted according to certain dimensional characteristics thereof. In the illustrations shown in the drawings the workpieces being sorted are flare nuts which are to be assembled with tubing that is to be flared on each end. In assem bling the nuts with the tubing it is necessary that the nuts be placed on the tubing with the threaded portions thereof toward the ends of the tubing. Thereafter, the tubing is flared and the unit is ready for assembly in a fluid circuit. The flare nuts shown in the drawing consistof a threaded portion at one end and a hexagonal recesses into one or another sorting station 31:01

cording to the manner in which they lay the recess. r

It will be evident that the workpieces shown are not the only type adaptedigr; beingppe ated by a sorting device according to this invention,

but that any workpieces having detectable characteristics of size and configuration are adapted forbeing sorted and thereafter being delivered to as many sorting stations as it is desired to. have. I

According to this invention after the nuts are sorted, they are distributed to an assembly sta-r tion in such a manner that they may. readily be assembled with a piece of tubing before at least one end thereof has been flared. It will be ape. parent that while the distributing station can be synchronizedin operation with the sorting portion of the device, it is unnecessary for the two stations to be connected together and the distributing portion of the device can be separately actuated if desired.

According to the preferred form of this in?- vention, the work members are placed in a hoppo'r fromwhich' they fall through a tube to a wheel in thesorting device which comprises a plurality of notches opening inwardly from the periphery thereof. Thenotches are designed to support the workmembers in difierent positions depending upon the manner in which they all into the said notches or upon the dimensional characteristicsthereof. The wheel is rotated, either continuously or by a suitable intermittent mechanism such as a -Geneva wheel, and carries the workpieces inthe'said recesses .past sorting stitions, each of which has a cam adapted for engagement with'th'e workpiece in one of its position's inthe'said recesses and to. dislodge the workpiece from the recess and deliver 'it to the sorting station;

"ihe sertingstations comprise tubes which delivere the workpieces to a distributing station which also, preferably comprises a rotating wheel. The distributing wheel comprises a plurality of Stations each ofwhich is of a size to receive a plurality or workpieces. The "workpieces are. delivcred from the tubes leading from the "sorting sta- 4 and distributing apparatus is driven by a geared drive generally indicated at 28 in Figure 1.

The entire unit is shown in Figure 2, partly in section, wherein it will be seen that the drive comprises a motor 30 which may drive through a speed change unit at 32 into a shaft 34. The shaft 34 s e ed o'th s a t 5. he s r in t 22- as by the bevel gears-38 andstortheshaft 40 of the distributing unit 24 as by the bevel gears 42.

As will become more apparent hereinafter, the

haft is driven ati one-half the speed of the shaft 36 but this particular ratio may be varied titans-into the stations in the distributing wheel in succession and emerge, or are removed from the distributing wheel at an assembly station.

iqh ie tlii th w ec s m y he re v d nsequent 19m he, qri he' tions ependin lemme nature t e assem y work t h on Structural arrangement according to varying work cycles.

Sorting station The sorting station 22 and the mechanism by which the" workpieces are delivered from the hopperlfl thereto is best shown in Figures 2 through 11. The sorting station consists of a whic c es as y t e bracket ii, t hqh 1h The pper 2 commun ates with the nterior of the frame .44 via a tube 8. openns f om the bct o e opper and, t e tub ti! n. al nm nt her w th wh ch is carried on th t p pl e c t f ame 4.4., Breierably. the tub 8 nih r t n y th belt and huh by r ngem t .2 in rder to promote the feed'-- ing of; the workpieces therethrough. The. work pieces which pass through the tubes 48 and it! to t e n crf. h leasing 4 a delivered to the periphery of the sorting wheel, 54 at the. po sition indicated at 55' in Figure 4.

he sett ng, wh 1 5. comp ises a plurality ct re e es ar undhe periphery thereof which hav a g r upper portion 6'0 and a smaller lower portion 62. The wheel is also peripherally lotted as a 5.3 with a. sl passing ubs antially throughthe center oi the larger portion 61) lo; the recesses 58.

In Figures 8 and 9 the recess 58 at the receive. ns st tion 516 is il- -hstrat dwim workpieces d l v ed t ereto f om the uhe e l-and w hthe said work i e-3,, ne in e po ition nd the other in th in erted i on t w l be noted that. in Figure 8 the workpiece, which is a flare nut, is resting; recess on the lfi ifi between the P rti n l an .2 e f w th the. threa ed nd i h n t x ehd heuhw rdha; whereas nFie? are 9 thehu en i h fl e nut'is. pwardly and the threaded end is extending through the ortion, 62 of the recess Directlybeneath thestation 5.6,- is a plate 60 which ha a fiat por i n ectly beneath.- the said station and an inclined portion (iii= extending do n rd yto dth fir t rece v gstaticn-A- The pu oseoi he pla e 4 is f supporting the workpieces which fall into the wheel the, position shown in Figure 9; It will; be nqtedthat the workpirate Figure 9 is supported .01 that the upper end thereof is substantially flush with the top surface of thewheel 54.; Thus when the w ee turns to. ca ry-e he or piece out o the a i 5.6; th workp ece directly thereabcve in the tube 50 will not stagger on the ed e of the recess 58. It, will be noted that there is, provided a blpck" 6.5 which abuts the: periphery r the wheel 54 adjacent theareceiving station- 58 and which. confines the workpiecesto. the, recesses wi h n wh ch hey t o at t y are. n t th w t reirom .by cent uaa liiorce a he wheel turns-j As the wheel 54 turns clockwise, asjv'icwed in Ff eIht HQ.v e workpieces. whi h are n the aces'ses, ingthe, position show in Figure. '9... slide down 'the"'incIin"66 into the position shownin 5 Figure 7.- It will be noted that in this position the peripheral slot 63 of the wheel is above the nut portion of the workpiece.

Referring to Figures 4, 5, 7 and 9, there is illustrated the steps leading to the delivery of a workpiece to the first receiving station and sorting device which is indicated at A. The first sorting station is adapted for receiving the work members which are received in the recesses as indicated in Figure 9 and, as the wheel rotates clockwise, the workpieces move from their Figure 9 position to the position indicated in Figures 5 and 7 due to the fact that the threaded ends thereof pass through the portions 62 of the recesses .58.

With the workpieces in this position they are engaged by a cam surface 68 on a block I8, this block extending beneath the wheel 54, as best seen in Figure 3. Further rotation of the wheel 54 from its Figure position will cause the nut which is engaged by the cam 68, formed by one side of the slat 69, to be withdrawn from the periphery of the Wheel and to drop into the receiving tube I2 of the receiving station A. It will be noted that there is a block 'II which overlies the block 18 and which abuts the periphery of the wheel 54 in the same manner as the block 65 thereby retaining the workpieces in the recesses in the periphery of the wheel.

It will be noted that workpieces which are received in the recesses as indicated in Figure 8 will pass the receiving station A. The workpieces which are delivered to the recesses 56 as shown in Figure 8 will be received in the second receiving station which is indicated at B and the manner of accomplishing this is best seen in Figures 8, and 11.

After the wheel has turned to carry a nut beyond the station A, as the station B is approached, a cam tongue I4 which is carried by the block ll and which extends into the peripheral slot 63 engages the nut as shown in Figure 6. Further rotation of the wheel beyond its Figure 6 position will cause the nut to be withdrawn from the recess and to be dropped into the receiving tube I6 of the receiving station B.

It will be noted that the continuous supply of workpieces through the tubes 48 and 58 insures that there will be a nut deposited in each of the recesses 58 as they pass the delivery station 56 and that, therefore, each index of the wheel 54 will result in the delivery of a nut to the sorting device to be delivered on one of the two indexes following to one of the sorting stations.

The wheel 54 may be continuously driven, but in the drawings there is shown a Geneva wheel I8 which is connected with a shaft 88 doweled or otherwise suitably keyed to the wheel 54 as at 82. The Geneva wheel 18 is adapted for being driven by the Geneva arm 84 which is pinned to the.

shaft 36.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that there will be a continuous supply of sorted workpieces from the hopper 28 to the two delivery tubes I2 and I6. Also, it will be obvious that the sorting mechanism of this invention is not necessarily limited to the delivery of workpieces to two stations, but may be employed for delivering work members to as many stations as there are critical dimensions on the work member by which it may be gauged.

tion, the delivery tubes 12 and I6 of the sorting stations A and B, respectively, open over a pair of receiving tubes 86 and 88, respectively'which lead to the distributing device indicated at 24. It is best seen in Figures 2, 12, 13 and 14, that the distributing device comprises a wheel 98 having a plurality of bores 92 therein each of which is of a length to receive two of the flare nuts. The wheel 98 is keyed to a shaft 94 which is adapted for actuation by the Geneva mechanism indicated at 96 which is similar to the Geneva mechanism which actuates the wheel of the sorting device.

The Geneva mechanism 96 is actuated by the shaft 48 which is driven by the shaft 34 and, as pointed out before, operates at one-half the speed of the wheel 54, this being necessary because the wheel 54 delivers one nut on each index while the distributing station delivers a pair of nuts on each index.

As seen in Figure 13, the tubes 86 and 88 communicate with the wheel 98 at consecutive stations and at the station in alignment with the tube 86 there is a blade 98 which extends into the peripheral groove I88 in the wheel 88. The blade 98 is so positioned that the axial distance from the said blade to the top of the wheel 98- is substantially equal to the length of one of the flare nuts. Thus, when the wheel 98 indexes it will carry one nut away from the station in alignment with the tube 86.

As soonas the wheel 98 indexes away from its Figure 2 position, the flare nut resting on the blade 98 is dropped to the bottom of the bore 92 so that when the said bore moves into alignment with the tube 88, one of the nuts therein will drop into the bore. By selecting the axial thickness of the wheel 98 to be substantially equal to the axial length of a pair of nuts, when the wheel 98 is indexed again it will carry one nut away from the tube 88. v

Thereafter, the next station with which the bore 92 moves into alignment preferably opens through an aperture I82 so that the paired nuts can be delivered to the assembly station. As shown in the drawings, the assembly station may comprise a bracket means I84 which carries lengths of tubing as at I86 and onto which the paired nuts fall when the bore 92 is in alignment with the aperture I82.

It will be apparent that the particular arrangement of distributing and assembling devices shown is only exemplary and that many other arrangements could be arrived at by anyone skilled in the art as, for example, the arrangement of the wheel 98 to rotate on a horizontal axis whereupon the work members in the bores 98 may be removed by means other than gravity. It will also be evident that it is unnecessary to drive the distributing and the assembling station together with the sorting apparatus but that these may be separately actuated in accordance with individual preference and the particular work cycle.

Preferably, the sorting device is operated in a manner to insure an over-supply of workpieces to the distributing and assembling device and to this end, the tubes I2 and I6 are spaced from the tubes 86 and 88 by a distance at least equal to the axial length of the work members being passed therethrough. The shaft 88 is provided with a hub I88 that carries the spring fingers I I8 which pass through the spaces between the said tubes. Thus, when the tubes 86 and 88 are filled and there is an excess delivery of workpieces erases 7 thereto, these" are kicked out by the in andmay be "returned to "the hopper 2D for resorting. v

This arrangement insures an adequate supply of workpi eesto the distributor; "andassemoling device without the "possibility of the sorting device becoming jammed at'aiiy time.

It will be understood that invention is susceptible tomodiiication in order to adopt it to diiierent usages and conditions and, accordingly, it is desired to comprehend sucli modifications within this invention as may fall within the scope or the appended claims.

We claim:

fl rn an a paratus for sorting workpieces of substantially uniform size and sha e and having a larger and a smaller end; a movable merob'er having a lurality of shouldered recesses extending inwardly from the edge thereoi adapted for supporting'the workpieces "at an upper or a lower level depending on whether the workpiece is delivered with the large end or the small end lowermost; a supply station adapted "for receiving a quantity of the 'wor kpiecesand for deiiver ing them individually to said recesses at a delivery station; a pair of spaced iroin ea-ch other and from said delivery station and eacfh adapted to dislodge workpieces from the recesses in a different or their positions therein; a receiving station adjacent each camadapted to receive the workpieces dislodged from the recesses thereby and to retain the workpieces propeily oriented; and distributing means adapted for receiving the workpieces singly from said receiving stations in suocession anii 'ior delivering the workpieces so received in oppositely oriented pairs to a work station.

2. In a 'levioefor selectively sorting workpieces having a large end, a small end anaa iongit-i'id'inai axis; a movable member having a plurality of shouldered recesses opening inwardly from on edge and adapted "for supporting the workpieces to be supported at an upper or a lower level ileending on whether the 'la-rgeorsmall end or the workpiece is lowermost; a supply station adapted to deliver workpieces in an axial 'clirem tion to said recesses; a pair of ca-iris'spacecl irorn each other and from said supply station overlapping the path of said recessesariti eachadaptedto engage workpieces in one or the positions thereof in said recesses and to dislodge the wors pieces so engaged from said recesses; means of driving said member to successively index said recesses into alignment with said supply station: means to agitate the workpieces at saidsupply station to promote the feeding thereof to said recesses; and means for automatically collecting the dislodged workpieces in oppositely oriented pairs and discharging them in such paired rela tion to a work station.

:3. In a device for selectively sorting workpieces having a large end and a small end; a movable member having a plurality of shouldered recesses opening inwardly trom one edge and ada ted ior sup ortin the workpieces to be supported at an up er or a lower level depending on whether the large or small end of the workpiece is lowermost: a supply -station adapted to deliver wonk pieces in an axial direction to said recesses; '21. pair of cams spaced i-rom eachother and from said supply station overlapping the path of said recesses and each adapted to engage workpieces in one of "the positions thereof in said recesses and to dislodge the workpieces so engaged from i said recesses; a pair of receiving channels adapted for receivnig the dislodged workpieces and for retaining the same inthe proper orientation; and distributing means comprising a member movable to receive 'a sorted workpiece from each of said receiving channels in succession and to deliver the two workpieces so received to a work station. 7 p

4. In a device for "selectively sorting workpieces having a large end and a small end; a movable member'havnig a plurality of "shouldered recesses openingfinwardly from one edge and adapted for sup orting the workpieces 'to'be supported at an upper 'ora'lower level depending on whether the large or "small end'of the workpiece is lowermost; a supply station adapted to deliver workpieces an axial direction to said recesses; a pair of cams spaced from each other and from said supply station overlapping the path of said recesses "and each adapted to engage workpieces in one of the positions thereof in said recesses and to dislodge the workpieces soengag'ed from said recesses; a pair of receiving channels each adapted for receiving the workpieces dislodged by a-different one 'of said cams and for retaining the workpieces in the same orientation they have at the time of the said dislo'dging; a distributing station adapted for receiving the sorted work'- piec es and comprising a member having apertures therein and adapted to be indexed to move said apertures into alignment with said receiving stations in succession; and means operable to permit only one workpiece from each station to bereceived in said apertures, whereby each aperturereceives two oppositely oriented workpieces.

5. In a device -"forselectively sorting workpieces having a large end and a small end; a movable member having a plurality of shouldered recesses opening inwardly from one edge and adapted for supporting the work-pieces to be suppor ted at an upper -01 a lower level depending on whether the large or small end of the workpiece is lowermost; a supply -station adapted to deliver workpieces in an axial direction to said recesses; a pairof eams spacedi-rom each other and from said supply-st tion overlapping the path of said recesses and each adapted to engage workpieces in one o'f'the positions thereof in said recesses and-to dislodge the workpieces so engaged from said recesses: a pair of receiving channels adapted for receiving the dislodged workpieces and 501 retaining the same in the same orientation they have-atthe time of the said dlslodging-ja distributing-station adapted for receiving the sorted workpieces and comprising a member having apertures therein and a-dap ted to be indexed to move said apertures into alignment with said receiving stations in sucsession; means operable to-permit one work-- piece from each station to be received in said apertures, whereby each a erture receives twooppositely oriented workpieces; and awork station into which the distributing member discharges the two workpieces collected thereby e'aeh aperture.

*6. in a device for selectively sol tin'gworkpieces "having a large end and a small end; a movabl'e member having a plurality of shouldered recesses o ening inwardly 'irom' one edge and adapted 'if'or supporting the workpieces to be supporteil at "an upper or a lower level dcpending 'on whether the large or small one oi' the 'workpiec'eislowermost; a supply station adapted to deliver workpieces in an axial direction to said rwesses; a pair of cams spaced from each other and from saidsupply station overlapping the :path of said :recesses and each adapted to engage workpieces in one of the positions thereof in said recesses and to dislodge the workpieces so engaged from said recesses; a pair of receiving channels adapted for receiving the dislodged workpieces and for retaining the same in the same orientation they have at the time of the said dislodging; a distributing station adapted for receiving the sorted workpieces and comprising a member having apertures therein and adapted to be indexed to move said apertures into alignment with said receiving stations in succession; means operable to permit only one workpiece from each station to be received in said apertures, whereby each aperture receives two oppositely oriented workpieces; and a common driving means for the movable members of the sorting and distributing devices whereby the operation thereof is synchronized.

7. In a device for selectively sorting workpieces having a large end and a small end; a movable member having a plurality of shouldered recesses opening inwardly from one edge and adapted for supporting the workpieces to be supported at an upper or a lower level depending on whether the large or small end of the workpiece is lowermost; a supply station adapted to deliver workpieces in an axial direction to said recesses; a pair of cams spaced from each other and from said supply station overlapping the path of said recesses and each adapted to engage workpieces in one of the positions thereof in said recesses and to dislodge the workpieces so engaged from said recesses; a pair of receiving channels adapted for receiving the dislodged workpieces and for retaining the same in the same orientation they have at the time of the said dislodging; a distributing station adapted for receiving the sorted workpieces and comprising a member having apertures therein and adapted to be indexed to move said apertures into alignment with said receiving stations in succession; means operable to permit only one workpiece from each station to be received in said apertures, whereby each aperture receives two oppositely oriented workpieces; a common driving means for the movable members of the sorting and distributing devices whereby the operation thereof is synchronized; and means for ejecting work-pieces delivered from said receiving stations to the distributing member in excess of that required of said distributing member.

8. In a sorting mechanism for workpieces having a large end and a small end; a supply hopper; a feed chute opening from the bottom of said hopper to deliver the workpieces axially; a selector wheel having a plurality of shouldered recesses extending inwardly from the periphery thereof and adapted for supporting the workpieces in an upper or lower level depending on whether the larger or smaller end is lowermost; means rotatably supporting said wheel so that the recesses pass beneath said feed chute; a plate beneath said wheel in alignment with said chute to support the workpieces delivered to the recesses so the upper ends of the workpieces are at least as high as the top of the wheel until the said recesses are moved out of alignment with said chute; a first cam adapted to engage and dislodge the workpieces from the recesses when supported therein in one position; a second cam adapted for engaging and dislodging the workpieces from the recesses which liein the opposite direction therein; a pair of receiving tubes, one for receiving the work-pieces dislodged by each cam and for supporting the workpieces in the same orientation as when they were dislodged; a distributing wheel having a plurality of axial bores therein adapted to register successively with said tubes; means associated with said delivery wheel for permitting only one workpiece to be delivered to said axial bores therein from each tube, whereby each aperture receives two oppositely oriented workpieces; and

rive means for said sorting and distributing wheels comprising Geneva mechanisms for indexing said wheels intermittently.

ROBERT E. BITZER. WILSON E. MAN OWN. FRED W. LOY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,341,278 Morey May 25, 1920 1,411,169 E hrman Mar. 28, 1922 1,456,216 Brightman May 22, 1923 1,735,609 Frederich Nov. 12, 1929 1,739,422 Schmidt Dec. 10, 1929 1,873,377 Frayer Aug. 23, 1932 2,278,599 Veit Apr. 7, 1942 2,327,126 Raetsoh Aug. 17, 1943 2,333,940 Kuehlman Nov. 9, 1943 

